Sacre Blues by Taras Grescoe

“Sacre Blues: An Unsentimental Journey Through Quebec” is the Title of Taras Grescoe’s Book on Quebec, published in 2002 [in French]. His book won the Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-fiction and First Book Award, among others.

It's not (just) about the poutine.
Having such ambivalence about my own culture, I think I would probably enjoy the perspective of a smart mid-thirties fellow Canadian. I really welcome his effort to understand the “mouton noir” of Canada from an almost anthropologic eye [extra points], and I am grateful that the book got so popular. I hope that many English Canadians read it to get a new and more challenging, complex perspective on the not so pure French Culture of Quebec.

To tell you the truth, I am a bit apprehensive of reading yet more of “their perspective”, as I got my fair share of the English Canadian’s take in the past 7 years. None-the-less, I have the confidence that Grescoe [he’s not a pure breed BC boy anyway] can also get past the superficial obsession with the “separation” or “independence” [whichever you want to call it, depending on which side of the fence you feet dangle from]; examine briefly the anecdotal Poutine, the sad “Anglicisms” and the beloved “sacres”, and give a closer look at the not so clear-cut culture, while attempting to pop the “pustulant” zit of politics.

Ever since I have started traveling, and then settled down in western Canada, I have experienced first hand the slight English Canadian snobbism, and less often, blatant animosity towards Quebecois. This rather tarnished a bit my original enthusiasm and curiosity towards English Canadian, but, do not worry, it hasn’t completely demolished it.

“Pardon my French, but your language sucks”
One of the reoccurring themes which tends to annoy me on a good day, is definitely the comical confessions in the typical English Canadian apologetic tone, as if looking for my understanding; After all, I had left Quebec many years ago to become "one of them". To channel my negative emotions, I have confectioned the perfect answer [with the help of my English Canadian partner no-less]. I use it. Sometimes. When I am ready for fresh conversations.

"Your [French] pronunciation is excellent" I say..."Oh thank you, I wanted to learn French so I went to France” they say, proud of their accomplishments, but then, can’t help themselves: “No offence but I didn't want to learn 'slang' French from Quebec." "Oh! Not at all! I know what you mean: if I have had a choice myself, I would have gone to England to learn proper English."

For the record, French Canadian never-ever use the famous “Sacre-Bleu” as a swear. I hope that this is intended more a descriptive of how English Canadian perceive French and Quebec's culture, than what it really is.

tgrescoe@hotmail.com this is supposed to be the author’s email address. Although, I really doubt it is still in use. He must get tons of crapmail.